Top Kiwi chef Ben Bayly (right) will strut his stuff with children Mila, 5, Bowie, 2, and Ella, 8, at Fashion Week on Sunday. Photo/Reagen Butler/Barkers
Top Kiwi chef Ben Bayly (right) will strut his stuff with children Mila, 5, Bowie, 2, and Ella, 8, at Fashion Week on Sunday. Photo/Reagen Butler/Barkers
Some of New Zealand's most popular dads are set to strut their stuff on the catwalk at New Zealand Fashion Week today - Father's Day.
Former My Kitchen Rules New Zealand judge and top chef Ben Bayly, as well as the dad behind Instagram account Blessed in Doubles, Junior Fuimaono,will be among fathers modelling with their cute mini-mes as part of the Kids Show presented by Little Treasures.
Bayly and son Bowie, 2, will be debuting on the catwalk - Bayly in Barkers and his son in Kiwi kids label Dimples.
"It will be funny no doubt - my wife will get a kick out of it," said Bayly, whose wife Cara and in-laws will be there to watch the show.
The executive chef of top Auckland restaurants The Grove and Baduzzi has been watching YouTube videos of models on the catwalk to prepare, with his daughters Mila, 5, and Ella, 8. The girls will also star in the show.
"We have done the first round of research but now it will be actually starting to put those visuals into reality," he said.
"Practice makes perfect. I'm not really model material so hopefully I do Barkers proud."
More than 30 kids aged under 10 will also tread the catwalk, so the crowd can expect a lot of cuteness, laughter and maybe the odd tantrum.
"There are probably going to be a few meltdowns," said Bayly, who "will have cuddles on standby" for Bowie.
Junior Fuimaono (right) and wife Zoe will hit the catwalk with their two sets of twins, Henry and Theo, 2, (centre) and fraternal twins Noah (left) and Harlow (right), 8 months. Photo/Supplied
Auckland father of two sets of twins under 3, Junior Fuimaono, aka Blessed in Doubles Dad, will also join his kids on the catwalk for Father's Day.
Fuimaono and his wife Zoe, whose Instagram account Blessed in Doubles has almost 25,000 followers, will have their hands full as they join in on the fun with identical twin boys Henry and Theo, 2, and fraternal twins Harlow and Noah, 8 months.
"We're all very excited. We are going to try hide some lollies in our pockets to bribe [the kids]," said Fuimaono.
"Not many people get a chance to walk down a runway. To do it with the whole family is amazing. It's going to go down in our memories as one of the coolest things that we've been able to do so far."
Models will also include a number of celebrity mums. Nikki Allwood, wife to Warriors player Matt, will be walking with the couple's adorable twin girls Frankie and Harper, 1, and George FM host Kara Rickard with her kids Haea, 6, Kaihu, 4 and Iver, 8 months.
Anika Moa will perform hits from her children's album Songs for Bubbas as well as fan favourites during the show.
The show starts at 10.30am today at the ANZ Viaduct Events Centre.
